The Tragedy of Pettigrew
by esran
Summary: My take on why Pettigrew betrayed his friends. one shot. T for language.


The Tragedy of Pettigrew

Peter Pettigrew was led at wand point to a small room. He already knew he had made a mistake. He should never have let himself be captured. He should have died! Only problem is that he very much enjoyed living, and was hoping to continue that activity for quite some time. Besides, he was an animagus; perhaps an opportunity to escape would arise.

"I have something to show you Pettigrew" laughed Voldemort as he opened a chest. "This is a special surprise just for you, yes you Peter. How would the brave Gryffindor like to see his greatest fear? If so you are in luck, for what I have here is a boggart."

Out of the chest floated a figure in black cloak it slowly moved toward where Peter stood. "b but… that's a, a dementor! Dementors aren't my greatest fear…"

"Perhaps they should be!" snapped the dark lord. "There are many dark creatures in this world, some more deadly then dementors. But dementors have one important thing to set them aside. If you are killed by any other creature, you can go to your oh so precious 'next great adventure'". The dark lord laghed cruelly. "Those slain by a dementor do not have the same privilege. Good or evil, the dementor sucks out and consumes your very soul. It doesn't even kill you; it leaves your body lifeless while destroying the essence of what you are. The only thing left for those taken by a dementor, is oblivion." The figure slowly moved ever closer to where Peter stood, frozen in fear.

"Wha, what do you want" Pettigrew cried as he began to back away. He drew his wand and pointed it at the 'boggart'. "ridikulus, ridikulus damn you"

But the figure continued to approach, ever closer.

"We find ourselves at a crossroads of sorts, and you will have to make a choice. Stay ever defiant, for the sake of good" the dark lord said mockingly. "Even though no heaven awaits to reward you. Or help me, and save your soul. The afterlife may not be kind to you if you help me, but any afterlife is better than none" the dark lord sneered.

Pettigrew, now backed into a corner, began to cry. "ridikulus, oh please god ridikulus!"

"Unfortunately for you, there is nothing funny about dementors" the dark lord continued "now make your decision, and choose quickly, and wisely.

Pettigrew turned his want at his own self. "av… av… avada…"

"petrificus totalus" the dark lord cast with glee. "I'm afraid I won't let you kill yourself. Why don't you just betray? I won't kill the potters with dementors, I promise. You will see them in the afterlife, they won't ever forgive you, but you will all be in the afterlife. What's a hundred years on earth for them compared to the rest of eternity for you? If they are really your friends, they will understand. A man must do what a man must do to save himself." The dark lord walked to where Pettigrew sat frozen on the floor, and grabbed his wand. "Finite. Now you have 2 choices. Either take my mark and tell me where the potters are, or lose your soul and accept oblivion."

"f f fine, just get that thing away from" Pettigrew stuttered.

After all, what other choice did he have? He wasn't that brave, but he liked to think he wasn't a complete coward. He would have liked to believe that if pressed he would take death before betraying his friends. He knew he could have taken death, should have taken death before being captured. But it was too late. And there were few people even in the house of Gryffindor brave enough to give up their very souls in defiance. And for the rest of his life, Pettigrew would obey every command the dark lord gave him, too much of a coward to take his own life. And he made sure never, under any circumstances, to ever find himself in the presence of a boggart.

a/n: this is the first fanfic I've ever written, I had the idea, and just had to write it. if you have any specific problems with it, please leave a review, or if you have a problem with it but hate it so much that you don't want to raise the review count, send a PM. constructive criticism would be very helpful for any future fics i write.


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